UK’s Deputy PM faces calls to resign over tax error on US$1 million home

Angela Rayner, the deputy British prime minister, faced calls to resign on Wednesday after she admitted to not paying enough tax on a home purchase.

Following weeks of press speculation regarding the tax paid on her purchase of a flat in Hove, on England’s south coast, Rayner said she has referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards and that she has considered resigning.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer offered his support to Rayner as opposition lawmakers demanded that she should quit or be sacked.

In a statement, Rayner said a leading tax counsel had informed her she had received inaccurate advice when making the £800,000 purchase (US$1 million) earlier this summer.

Rayner said she “deeply regrets the error” and was “committed to resolving this matter fully and providing the transparency that public service demands.”

In the UK, levies are charged on property purchases, with higher charges due on more expensive homes and secondary residences. Reports have suggested that Rayner saved £40,000 by not paying the appropriate levy, known as stamp duty.